The present invention relates to a stop member mechanism for use in a four-wheel drive vehicle having at least front and rear pairs of road wheels. More particularly, the present invention relates to improvements in the stop member for assembling a shift fork to a transfer gear shift mechanism which is used for shifting from a four-wheel driving condition to a two-wheel driving condition.
Conventional stop members for assembling a shift fork to a transfer gear shift mechanism are disclosed in FIGS. 30 and 31. Each of these conventional stop members 595 and 597 includes a pair of inner projections 596 or 598. Accordingly, the pair of inner projections 596 form a narrow inlet in the stop member 595 and the pair of inner projections 598 form a narrow inlet in the stop member 597.
When the stop member 595 is assembled on a fork shaft 539, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, the stop member 595 is firmly fixed on the fork shaft 539. After the stop member 595 is fixed on the fork shaft 539, a shift fork 54 is then simultaneously moved with sleeves in order to check for smooth movements of the shift fork 54 and the sleeves.
However, when the shift fork 54 and the sleeves do not move smoothly, the stop member 595 must be removed from the fork shaft 539 in order to adjust spatial relationships between the stop member 595, a spring 58, the shift fork 54 and the sleeves. And the stop member 595 must then again be assembled to the fork shaft 539.
As a result, the removal and subsequent reassembly of the stop member 595 consumes a substantial amount of time and effort.